Customer Service Handbook for Staff in Tourism and Hospitality Industry

TIPS FOR STAFF IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 

(Small and Medium Hotels, Restaurants, Bars, Health Clubs and Entertainment Places)

A – Greeting and receiving customers

1. Whenever customers enter your hotel or restaurant, put on a warm welcome greeting.
2. Receive customers with a simple but warm smile.
3. Make a good first impression: Be a friendly, well groomed, smiling staff or waiter.
4. Know the services of your organisation or menu inside and out and explain them adequately to your customers.
5. Always exhibit respect to all your customers, guests and colleagues.
6. Do not wear too much makeup or jewelry or perfume. These may sometimes irritate guests or your perfume may cause allergic reactions.
7. Do not show frustration. Your only mission is to serve and satisfy customers. Be patient with customers even when they are rude. Serving guests is never easy.
8. In case of a complaint, listen intently to their problem without interrupting. Own the mistake. Acknowledge that there is a problem. Let them know you are very sorry.
9. Stay calm, especially if you don’t agree with your customer. Maintain eye contact and watch your body language. Make sure your body isn’t telling a different story than your words. Ask your customer what they’d like. Try to negotiate a solution that is acceptable to both of you. Always apologize, don’t blame. Solve the problem quickly without augment.

B – Handling tips and payments

1. Never ask for a tip. It is being rude and disrespectful to customers or guests.
2. Never count your tips in front of the customers.
3. Never brag about your tips in front of other waiting staff.
4. Never complain to a customer or show it on the face about a little tip, no matter how great your service was.
5. Do not say anything bad after getting a tip, be it good or little. Do not change you facial expression after getting a tip. Just say, “Thank you very much”, with a smile.
6. In most cases, never bring a bill until someone asks for it. Then give it to the person who asked for it. If a few people ask for the bill, find a neutral place on the table to leave it.
7. Do not ask if a guest needs change whether small or big after paying their bills. Just bring the change. Never say that you cannot get change. By asking, it implies that you do not want to give them change. Always be ready with change for your customers or guests.

C – Serving customers

1. Take customers’ orders quickly, because guests may be tired, hungry and thirsty.
2. Most customers are impatient, serve them with a steady good speed and keep everything running smoothly.
3. Don’t pressure customers into buying or eating what they don’t want.
4. If a guest is having trouble making a decision, help out. If guests want to meet the chef, and make orders, assist and call the chef.
5. Do not reach over one customer to serve another. If the setting is informal and you have no other choice, at least say “excuse my reach”.
6. If the customer makes a mistake, never say the costumer was wrong. A customer is a King.
7. If you are a waiter, always check the food to ensure that it is the right order and well done before bringing it to the customer.
8. Never deliver hot plates or food without warning the guest.
9. Never serve food that looks bad and unorganized.
10. Make sure the plates and glasses are clean. Inspect them before placing them on the table.
11. Do not bring soup without a spoon. It frustrates a customer to have a hot soup with no spoon.
12. Do not touch the rim of a water glass. Or any other glass.
13. Continue giving good customer care and excellent service even after the bill is paid.
14. Never sit around doing nothing if it is not time for resting.If you have no customers to take care of, at least clean or arrange the tables. There’s always work to be done in a restaurant. Show your employer or customer that you are a hardworking staff.
15. Pay special attention to parents with kids.
16. If guests drop or spill something down, clean it up, replace it. Refrain from touching the wet spots on the floor. Call some other person. You cannot wait on the table and again work on the floor.
17. Never blame your staff members e.g. waiter, chef, cleaner. In case something goes wrong, just apologize and make it right.
18. Do not return to the guest anything that falls on the floor: napkins, spoons or menus. Take them away, and replace with new and clean ones.
19. Never stack the plates on the table. They make a racket and make you disorganized. Remove one by one.
20. Do not reach across one guest to serve another.

D – Dealing with customers

1. Do not eat or drink in plain view of guests. This is not accepted in the hospitality industry.
2. Do not drink anything or eat food offered by customers. If offered, give a polite no.
3. Do not bang into chairs or tables when passing by.
4. Do not ignore a table because it is not your table. Please lend a hand to your colleagues.
5. Do not stand behind someone who is ordering. Stand in front and make eye contact. Thank him or her after taking the order.
6. Never ask guest to assist you and pass over plates or cutlery to other guests. They are not your colleagues or waiters or the waitresses. Asking them to help you is being arrogant unless it is an emergency.
7. Do not run around the dining room as if there is a fire in the kitchen or a medical emergency.
8. Let the guests know the restaurant is out of something before the guests read the menu and order the missing dish.
9. Do not disappear from guests. Always be around and focus you attention on the guests. Stand facing the guests in case they need some assistance.

E – Communication with customers

1. Do not join your customers’ discussion or interrupt their conversation.
2. Respect customers. Never touch a customer – this is too much mannerism.
3. Never engage in a conversation with your friends or workmates in front of guests. Remember you guests are your Kings.
4. Never reprimand a guest who has a complaint or suggestion. Just listen, take it seriously, and address it. Customers have a right to complain, make suggestions on how they want to be served. Never put on a rude face after complaints from customers. Maintain you good customer service.
5. If someone complains about the music, do something about it.
6. Never seem to enjoy or dance to the music or follow the film on TV in view of guests. The music is not for the staff — it’s for the guests / customers.
7. Never remain around, when guests are organizing money or tips to pay. People feel shy when they are being watched or hurried, especially when they are contributing to the bill or tip.
8. Do not have a personal conversation with another waiter within earshot of customers. Customers are Kings.
9. Do not compliment a guest’s attire or hairdo or makeup.
10. Never abuse customers or make a comment that may insult customers or guests.
11. Do not discuss your problems with guests, e.g. low salary, overworking or rude bosses.
12. Never acknowledge any one guest over and above any other. All guests are equal.
13. Do not gossip about your boss, fellow staff or guests when guests are listening.

CUSTOMERS SERVICE AND CUSTOMER CARE

Customer service: Means the speed of handling (serving) customers. It also means serving or giving customers all the items or services paid for (right amount), serving good quality foods, and drinks, at fair prices and within the shortest possible time.

Customer care: Refers to the human touch you exhibit while service customers, i.e. warm reception (smile), being friendly, talking nicely (not rude), not abusing customers (not proud), and showing respect and willingness to serve customers. Customer care is part of total customer service package.

CUSTOMERS IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY 

These are primary customers and they include:

• Guests, visitors or tourists who come for accommodation or meals,
• People who come for meetings, health club services and entertainment.
• Tour guides and drivers and who bring, drop or pick guests, guests, visitors or tourists.
• to stay in the hotel, s and other visitors

Understanding customers of other businesses

1. Shops (supermarkets, furniture and vehicle show rooms, bookshops, hardware shops, groceries, boutiques, food markets): buyers and window shoppers.  
2. Land lords/ land ladies: tenants and their families. 
3. Banks, SACCOs and Mobile Money Agents: people who depot or withdraw money.
4. Salons and barber shops: clients for hair dressing, facials and body treatment.
5. Fuel stations and vehicles garages: buyers of fuels, vehicle servicing and repairs.
6. Transporters (bus companies, tour companies, taxis, boda-boda): travellers.   
7. Schools: students and parents /guardians.
8. Celebrities (musicians, actors, MCs, DJs): their fans and those who hire them. 
9. Hospitals, clinics and pharmacies: patients, visitors, patient attendants. 
10. Others: (farmers, artisans, security companies, invent organizers, cake makers, decorators, etc.): people who buy and use their services.

SECONDARY CUSTOMERS

Your secondary customers include service providers, e.g. suppliers of food staffs and other items, banks, security companies, government officials (e.g. National water, UMEME, URA, KCCA and local government) and the general public.

Even if secondary customers are not your main customers, your objective should be to turn them into primary customers (guests or visitors).

If you offer them good customer care and speak to them nicely, they may start bringing you guests and visitors to your hotel, restaurant, bar, health club or entertainment place. Therefore never be rude to your secondary customers.

CUSTOMER SERVICE RULES 

Customer service rules

Rule 1: A customer is always right.

Rule 2: If you think that the customer is wrong, always consult rule No 1.

A Customer is a king

“A customer is the most important visitor on our premises. He is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work – he is the purpose of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us the opportunity to serve him.” By Mahatma Gandhi

CUSTOMER SERVICE STATEMENTS

Why are you in business?
Example: To make money and profits. But you cannot make money when you are chasing away customers, guest and visitors because of poor customer service.

What is your business’ customer service motto?
Example: “The customer is the reason we exist.”

What is your business’s customer service statement?
Example: We aim at giving excellent customer service. Once we offer good customer service, our customers, guests, visitors will come back over and over again to our hotel, restaurant, bar, health club or entertainment place.

LEVELS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

The customer service that you provide to your customers, guests or visitors can be divided into levels.

• Bad or Poor Customer Service: Below expectations
• Average Customer Service: Not good, not bad; just average expectations
• Good Customer Service: Meeting customer, guest or visitors expectations
• Very good, Great or Excellent: Exceeded customer expectations

All hotels, restaurants, bars, health clubs or entertainment places should aim at giving excellent customer service. When you offer great customer service, customers get delighted, become happy, and end up becoming friends and promoters. But in case you fall short of the customer expectations, learn from your mistakes, aim for better performance next time.

SOME COMPLAINTS FROM HOTEL, RESTAURANT, BAR, HEALTH CLUB OR ENTERTAINMENT PLACE

Customers complain of the following:

• Some staff do not greet customers and rude and proud.
• Some demand for tips even when the services are poor.
• They get cheated by being supplied bad food especially cold food.
• Some staff tell lies and are dishonest especially about the prices of food items.
• Once they get money from customers, they disappear and start giving stories.
• Overcharge customers and take advantage of customers’ ignorance.
• Are interested in customers’ money not giving good services.
• Some bosses or owners of hotels, restaurants, bars, health clubs or entertainment places are rude and proud.
• Connive with thieves to steal items from customers, guests or visitors, their vehicles or hotel rooms.

EXPERIENCES OF POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

There are some owners of hotels, restaurants, bars, health clubs or entertainment places who like cheating customers and they enjoy supplying poor food items or poor quality stuff. Some staff of hotels, restaurants, bars, health clubs or entertainment places steal customers’ items especially telephones, laptops, jewelry or cameras left in hotels or restaurants. They also take advantage on the ignorance of the customer and overcharge them.

How can hotels, restaurants, bars, health clubs or entertainment places, that depend on customers cheat them?. How can you knowingly sell something bad or of poor quality to your customers so that you get money while the customers lose?. Examples include selling bad or spoiled foods, putting dangerous chemicals in foods or drinks. This is very bad! Hotels, restaurants, bars, health clubs or entertainment places that are involved in these practices should stop, because soon they will lose business.

CUSTOMER SERVICE CASES

Case 1: A family may open up a hotel, restaurant, bars health club or entertainment place and ask their son, daughter or relative to go and serve customers without training the person in customer service and how to handle clients.

Case 2: A hotel or restaurant may recruit a new staff and ask the staff to serve customers as a restaurant waiter or waitress or as a receptionist of a hotel without training the person in customer service skills.

There are high chances that the new staff will use home or school based communication skills in their new jobs, which are different from customer service skills in the hospitality sector. Some young people, if not trained can be very stubborn, rude and even end they abusing customers or guests. They do not want to assist customers or guests. They are busy on their mobile phones and end up ignoring customers. They borrow such behaviors from their homes or schools. But these are not accepted in the hospitality industry.

Every person who interacts with customers should be taught the DO’s and DON’Ts of customer service in the hospitality industry.

IMPORTANCE OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. If you offer good customer service and care for you customers, they will be happy with your services and continue coming to your hotels, restaurant or bar.
2. Happy customers will tell other people about your hotels, restaurant or bar and your good services.
3. Your happy customers will become your marketing agents and am­bassadors, friends and supporters.
4. If you want to have many customers, offer good customer service.

PROBLEMS OF POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. If your customer service is poor and you offer poor quality food items and services, customers will run away from you.
2. If you and your staff are rude, tell lies and cheat customers or take advantage of their ignorance, soon customers will know the truth and become annoyed and unhappy about you.
3. Unhappy customers are dangerous people because, they will tell other people and start decampaigning your hotel, restaurants or bar.

DO’S OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. As you start talking to a customer (physically or on phone), please put on a SMILE, warm face and tone.
2. First ascertain the language that the customer is comfortable with, and then use it.
3. When talking to customers, speak clearly and do not rush. Give full attention to the customer.
4. Learn to listen to whatever the customer is telling you.
5. Portray the willingness to help the customer, this will please the customer.
6. Know your products or services. Customers trust people who are confident and know what they are selling.
7. When talking with customers, give your full attention to customers. Stop what you are doing and give full attention. Stop paperwork or anything you are doing.
8. For every customer you serve, please say “Thank You! All customers like these two words.

DON’TS OF CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. If you are annoyed, stressed and or unhappy, never show it to the customers.
2. Do not look annoyed while talking to customers.
3. Never appear rude or gloomy on the face while communicating with customers.
4. Never abuse or back bite customers if they do not buy from you.
5. Never speak rudely to customers. Never quarrel with customers.
6. Never argue with your customers. Never neglect a customer.
7. Never offer poor quality products and services to your customers.
8. Never cheat customers or clients. When they get to know, they will tell others and they will stop coming to your shop or business.
9. Never tell lies or take advantage of customers.
10. Never continue eating or drinking something when talking to customers. A customer needs a listening ear.

BENEFITS OF GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

1. Good customer service brings more customers, increases sales and profits.
2. Practicing good customer service reduces stress at work place.
3. Poor customer service can result in abuses by customers. If you quarrel with customers and get annoyed, then you become stressed and you can even fall sick.
4. Serving customers with a smile keeps you younger.
5. However serv­ing customers with a gloomy face and without a smile leads to early development of wrinkles and looking older.
6. Good customer service has healing, curative and therapeutically advantages.
7. Customer service improves staff interpersonal relationship thus creating harmony on work places.

HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH CUSTOMERS

1. Always listen to whatever your customer is saying and give appropriate feedback. This portrays a sign of willingness to help customers.
2. Always try to understand what the customer needs or wants. Do not impose your thoughts or ideas to customers.
3. Address your customers by their names or titles e.g. Mr., Mrs., Ms., Madam, Ma’am, Hon, Prof, Dr, Counsel, Eng., Pilot, Teacher, Bishop, Rev, Hajj, Hajjat, Pastor, Father, Sister, Brother, Uncle, Auntie and others. If you are not sure, please ask them politely.
4. Before you deploy your staff to interact with your customers, first train them in customer service skills. Most businesses are making a big mistake of allowing their staff to interact with their customers without first training them on communicate skills.

SMILE WHILE SERVING CUSTOMERS

• A smile is a tool that spices customer service.
• A smile is one of the most important customer service tools.
• A smile is a language that opens doors and communicates a good customer service tone.
• It communicates the following: Thank you for coming; I treasure you; I respect you; I am ready to serve you.
• “A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.” Chinese Proverb
• “A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders and accomplish miracles”. William Hazlitt
• “Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl (gloomy face) and have wrinkles”. —George Eliot

TIPS ON HOW TO SMILE WHILE SERVING CUSTOMERS

• Before interacting with customers, prepare yourself and plan to put on a smile.
• Greet your customers with a smile. First impression with your customers is important.
• When interacting with customers, be warm and portray a ready attitude to help.
• Smile from the beginning to the end while serving customers.
• Practice how to smile because serving customers is like being on a stage or show.
• Keep the smile simple and do not exaggerate it.
• When speaking on phone, your tone should be clear and warm. The person you are talking to will receive the smile through your warm tone.
• Market your business using the smile.

LISTEN TO YOUR CUSTOMERS

• Always listen to whatever your customers are saying and give appropriate feedback.
• Clarify on areas where they seem not to understand you.
• Don’t interrupt and get defensive while talking to customers.
• Just listen to them and reflect back on what they’re saying. This portrays a good sign of willingness to help a customer which eases communication.
• As a result, customers will pay attention to you and what you want to say and will be more willing to listen to you too or buy from you.

TIPS ON LISTENING SKILLS

• When listening to a customer, be attentive and give them a warm facial expression.
• Give customers all the information they need to make a decision on whether to buy or not. Never confuse customers so that they buy from you.
• While interacting with customers, don’t interrupt and impose your solutions to them.
• Be patient while attending to customers. Ask customers to explain what is not clear such that both of you understand each other.
• Never interrupt or finish a sentence for a customer. This might make them feel offended.
• Show empathy to customers and understand their point of view.
• Put yourself in the shoes of the customer. If you were the customer, how would you want to be treated?
• “We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.” By Diogenes

RESPONDING TO CUSTOMERS’ COMPLAINTS

• We live in a world of complaints because everyone is always looking for things to complain about. But complaints offer a good opportunity to improve service delivery. Customers have a right to express their views, so complaints should be welcomed.
• The customer may not always be right, but he or she has a right to complain. It is therefore how you handle the complaint that matters.
• Respect customers when they complain. They are helping you to improve.
• When customers are unhappy, they can abuse you or write something bad about you or your company. Do not respond to them in the same way. Your objective should be to sort out the case and turn the complaining customers into loyal or repeat customers.

TIPS ON HANDLING CUSTOMER COMPLAINTS

1. Listen attentively and encourage the customer to talk.
2. Do not be defensive or justify anything.
3. Apologize to the customer even when they may not be right.
4. Respond to complaints quickly and efficiently.
5. Ask the customer what you can do to solve the complaint.
6. It is a good practice to keep records of all customer complaints.
7. Endeavour to follow-up to ensure the customer is satisfied.
8. “When a customer complains, he is doing you a special favor; he is giving you another chance to serve him. The alternative was to desert you for a competitor.” Seymour Fine.
9. “Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning’’ Bill Gates.

FOLLOW UP CUSTOMERS 

• Always follow customers to know whether they are satisfied or not.
• Follow-up is the act of bonding with your customers.
• Follow-up helps you to keep in direct contact with your customers.
• Use follow up opportunities to thank customers. It is always a good practice to thank your customers whenever you get an opportunity.
• You can thank them through a telephone call, face to face or email, etc.
• Always ask for feedback from your customers on whether they are satisfied or not and how you can improve your service.
• Customer follow-up results into customer satisfaction and loyalty.

SHOW RESPECT TO YOUR CUSTOMERS

• A customer is the king and is always right. Customers want to be treated with respect.
• Tell customers that you respect their views and choices.
• Tell customers how important they are to your business.
• Show respect to every customer, no matter their age, gender, race, ethnicity or position.
• Always listen to customers, a good sign that you respect them.
• Recognize your customers whenever you get an opportunity. Address them by name and title if you can.
• Be nice and bring happiness to customers. It shows respect.
• Customers should always be given chance to make their own choices. It shows respect.
• Fulfill what you promise to customers. It is a good sign of respect.

GREET CUSTOMERS APPROPRIATELY

• First impression while greeting is an important aspect in customer service.
• People have a tendency to form a positive or negative perception of others during a greeting exercise.
• Put on a smile before greeting customers and show a positive attitude.
• Always make eye contact to your customers. Good eye contact communicates that you are focused and ready to help.
• Make sure your voice creates the perception of intelligence, re­sponsibility and capability to offer a service.
• Be responsive to customers, acknowledge and value their time when serving them.
• Identify yourself with a nametag or identity card where possible. This will depict seriousness and make it easy for customers to identify and trust you.

BE COURTEOUS AND FRIENDLY TO CUSTOMERS

• In today’s competitive environment, your customers should be treated with courtesy.
• This will build customer relationships with your business. Customers will start telling others to buy from you.
• Give a friendly image to customers when they arrive to your business.
• When interacting with your customers, always project a tone of readiness to help them.
• Actively listen to what the customer wants before you respond.
• Empathize and be attentive to customers.
• You can ask if there is anything in addition you can assist with.
• Show gratitude for the customer’s support towards your service.

BE RELIABLE AND KEEP YOUR PROMISE

• Every business person should try to be reliable and keep his or her word and promise.
• When you cannot keep your word, customers will not trust you.
• As a result, your image and that of your business will go down.
• Customers will start dodging and shunning away from you.
• Be honest with customers. Some owners and staff of SMEs are dishonest. Some connive with thieves to cheat customers.
• Never tell lies to customers, they will lose trust in you when they discover the truth.
• Fulfill customer tasks in time. Customers are always impatient.
• Keep time when you have an appointment with a customer.

APPRECIATE POSITIVE CRITICISM FROM CUSTOMERS

• When faced with criticism from customers, never be annoyed and do not take it personally because they are telling you how you should serve them.
• Be positive and always accept constructive criticism from customers.
• Be open to learn from criticisms.
• Never be defensive when faced with criticism.
• Always be objective to constructive criticism.
• Avoid personal attacks, insults and hostile language when you receive constructive criticism.

EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE AND EMAIL SKILLS

• Before you continue the conversation, get to know the caller.
• When you receive business calls, respond for example as follows; “Thank you for ringing “ABC Company”, “Jane” speaking, how may I help you”?
• Put on a smile, stop what you are doing and concentrate on the call.
• Pay attention to every caller and do not let your mind wander away.
• When talking on phone, always identify customer needs.
• Give full attention to the caller and project “Ready to help” ‘tone.
• Control the conversation, so that it doesn’t drag on needlessly.
• Do not dominate the conversation with customers.
• After the telephone conversation, always thank the customer.

QUOTES ON RESPECT TO CUSTOMERS

“You must never cheat the customer. You must make the customer happy and satisfied, so that she/he will come back” Alexander Turney Stewart, Business Magnate

“Ask your customers to be part of the solution, and don’t view them as part of the problem.” Alan Weiss, Author “Million Dollar Consulting”

“Courteous treatment will make a customer a walking advertisement’’ JC Penny

“It is not your customer’s job to remember you, it is your obligation and responsibility to make sure they don’t have the chance to forget you.”  Patricia Fripp, Professional Keynote Speaker 

“We see our customers as invited guests to a party, and we are the hosts. It’s our job to make the customer experience a little bit better.”  Jeff Bezos, Founder Amazon